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Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Get Well Soon Sugar Cookies

Edit:  I'm now offering Get Well Soon Sugar Cookies in a Jar for sale on my website.  Send a sweet get well gift!


Ha! Giant pain killers to help someone special feel better!

I wanted to make "get well" cookies for someone. My cookie cutter collection is rather small so I had to come up with something using what I have. Somehow the idea of pain killer cookies came to mind.

I used a small round cookie cutter for the white pills.

The solid blue and red were made with a small oval cutter. It wasn't quite oval enough so I smooshed in the dough a bit. They're still not as oval as I would have liked. I had to hand-cut the multi-colored capsules. I used a square cutter. Sliced the dough down the middle so I had two rectangles. Then I used a knife to round the ends.
As you can see above, I tried a few different ways to get the affect I was looking for. In the end, I decided to flood the two-colored pills at the same time - no dry time between colors. The icing dried flatter that way, making it more realistic. I decided against all of the ways I tried above for the white pills. In the end, I decided on this...I piped a line of icing down the middle of each cookie then spread it out with a spatula. Let it dry. Then flooded one side, let it dry, then flooded the other side leaving a little space between the two.
I typed up a "prescription label" and taped it to a canning jar. Now I have a little gift for someone feeling under the weather!

Edit:  For all of those wishing for a copy of my Prescription Label, Mandi from PurdueAvenue.com made an editable pdf!  She has graciously shared it here!
So what lessons did I learn with this batch?

Did I say never outline with thicker icing then flood? Ha! I've changed my mind. I said that because my piping was so bad with the last batch. If my outline piping is neat and tidy, that will give me nice crisp edges. I didn't like the wobbly edges around the pills here. Keep practicing outlining is my lesson!

I was using about 10-second royal icing for the flooding. Perhaps 20-second would have given me crisper shapes. Thick outlining definitely would have.

Another lesson I learned....When did I start looking for perfection? I am not a perfectionist. I try to do things well. I look at something I've made and say that it's good. I never say that it's perfect. I just don't think in terms of "perfection" because it seems to be an unattainable goal. For some reason with cookies, I'm striving for near-perfection. So unlike me. I think it's because I've seen so many photos of amazing cookies and I want my cookies to look like those.

Christmas vacation is over. It's back to real life so I suppose that I won't have time to keep cookieing as much as I did over the holiday break. I think I know what I want to make next. Can't wait!

83 comments:

  1. Seriously Adorable!!! Would you mind sending me the prescription label? I LOVE it!!!
    mindiepack@gmail.com

    Thanks,
    Mindie

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    1. Wow these are looking so realistic and almost cartoon-like - such a great get well gift idea!

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  2. Sure Mindie!

    FYI, I really don't know how many cookies were in the jar. 24 just sounded good to me.
    Also, I used the recipient's zipcode as the Rx number. :)

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  3. Oh, I meant to say....
    If you make the cookies, would you pleeease leave a comment with a link so I can check them out?

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    1. Would you mind sending the prescription label to me? I cannot seem to find it following the links s described. My email address is jbailey4210@yahoo.com. Thank you so much!!!
      Jennifer Bailey

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  4. So awesome Nicole! Thanks so much for letting me know!

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  5. so original I love it very very much! congrats

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  6. I am going to make these for a friend who is in the hospital after a serious accident. I have never used royal icing on sugar cookies, could you tell me where your recipe is or send to me please as I am new to cookie decorating could you also explain flooding to me. Thank You TammySue tamantha69@gmail.com

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  7. Hi Tammy Sue. Flooding means to cover your cookie in a somewhat thin consistency of Royal Icing. There are a lot of blogs out there with recipes and tutorials on the basics to get started. (Perhaps I should write a few posts on that.)

    For recipes and tutorials on how to pipe/flood/etc, you can go to some of the blogs that taught me.
    http://sweetopia.net/
    http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/
    http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/

    Good luck on the cookies! I'd love to see a photo!

    All the best to your friend!

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  8. fantastic idea! Definitely tucking this away for the right occasion! And thanks for all the frosting tips!

    hugs! Kim @ Party Frosting!

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  9. Where did you get the label. Love these

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  10. Thank you both!

    I made up the label. I'd be happy to share it but I'm not sure how. A PDF won't be able to be edited. If anyone has an idea, please let me know.

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  11. Too cute! I'd love to have the label as well! Thanks

    allie.92@comcast.net

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  12. Emailing it to you Allie. :)

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  13. Hi, I LOVE THIS IDEA! How sweet a gift for someone who is sick! I was wanting to know if you can tell me what size oval cookie cutter you used? Would 62mm by 41mm work for this? Or would they look too big? I can't tell from the pic what size your cutters were. Please let me know, greetings from Australia, Ruby.

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  14. What a cute and clever idea. I love it! I'd like to know how to create the label too. Thanks, Imogee

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  15. Can you please email the recipe to jaly.leister@yahoo.com? Thanks!

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  16. love the labels for the cookies, would love to have these too. lhobby59@att.net

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  17. Thank you all for the kind words!

    Hi Ruby. I think that any sizes will work as long as they're all the same scale.

    I used a 1.5" x 1.25" (45mm x 35 mm) oval. Those are the solid colored ones. They weren't oval enough for me, so I hand cut the two-color oval capsules. For those I used a 2" (50 mm) square cutter. Cut those squares in half to get two rectangles, then cut to round the tops and bottoms. The white round pills are 2".

    Imogee, I created the label on an Excel spreadsheet. I'd love to share it online but not sure how so that you all can edit it. I might re-create it on a google doc. In the meantime, I'd be happy to email it to you. Just leave your email in the comments section or contact me (link up top).

    Jaly, my two favorite recipes are . . .
    http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2011/06/basic-sugar-cookie-recipe-2/

    http://cakecentral.com/recipe/no-fail-sugar-cookies

    lhobby, I'll email it to you now.

    Thanks everyone!

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  18. Did you ice both sides of the cookies?
    i LOVE this idea,
    ruby from Australia.

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  19. Thanks Ruby! No, I only iced one side. I placed them carefully in the jar so that the ones around the sides were facing out, then filled the middle of the jar to hold the outer ones in place.

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  20. What a cute idea! I'd love the label file. Could you please email it to birdsbites@gmail.com

    Thanks!

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  21. Love these! Can you please send me the prescription label? Blessliliblue@yahoo.com

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  22. The cookies are "perfect" and very original and thanks for all the tips.
    Libra from Spain

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  23. You got it Lili!

    Thanks to you and Libra!

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  24. Very cute. I would love the label too, please. My email is lsheirer@gmail.com. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  25. i love this and i am wondering if you can send me the recipe you used for the cookie and the icing? and can you please send me the prescription label!
    madisonb33@aol.com

    Thank you

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  26. These are inspired and very pretty!
    I'm in Frederick too. I'd love to chat if you're interested. I'm definitely not your competition :-)

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  27. If I were sick and received these cookies, it would surely make my day. Great idea!

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  28. Emailing you Madison.

    Melanie, I'd LOVE to chat! *off to check out your blog*

    Thanks Beth!!

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  29. These are too cute! I also would love your label template. You are too clever!
    Jlleamon@gmail.com
    Thanks!

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  30. OMG...this is the best idea EVER! Thank you for inspiring so many of us! I would love a copy of the label of you don't mind sharing. My email is normibrown@aol.com

    Thanks for all the creative ideas on your blog! I love it! ~Normi

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  31. Thank you all! Template is on the way.

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  32. hi there, love this idea! i'm a totally baking-inept clueless fool, but i was wondering, what kind of effect would you expect if you iced the cookie with royal icing and when it's close to being hardened, stick a toothpick longways down the center. then wait for it to finish hardening and pull it off. would that create a good line as well?

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  33. Hi Kristen. Yes, I do think that would work. I've seen people use the end of a paintbrush to make dimples in golf balls, so why not a toothpick? Great idea!

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  34. I have a friend getting ready to start treatment for ovarian cancer and I know these cookies would put a smile on her face! Could you please email me your label?? Thanks a bunch!

    Rackel01@Aol.com

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  35. This is such a wonderful idea! Thank you so much for posting it... I just discovered your website today and have been enjoying your posts, especially about cookie spreading issues. I also have an issue sometimes with cookies having a more "biscuit-y" texture and can't figure out if it has to do with the type of flour I use or some other issue. Have you ever had that problem? I would love the template for prescription label. lgrimshaw77@hotmail.com

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  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  37. Can you please send me the prescription label? My email taylor.chambley@yahoo.com

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  38. Lauren, I wish I could help with the biscuity issue. I have no idea! Sorry!


    Sending you both the label. Thanks!

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  39. Hey there! Just wanted to let you know we featured you in our Favorite Find Fridays post over at Whimsically Homemade. We used one of your pictures and linked back to you. If that's a problem let us know and we'll remove it immediately. Thanks for your great inspiration!

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  40. That's really nice! Thank you!

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  41. Absolutely adorable!! I was wondering if you can send me a copy of the label. I would really appreciate it. Nalamin@aol.com

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  42. Love this! Could you send me the label?

    reach4dastarzz@yahoo.com

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  43. Could you please send me the label as well?! These cookies are adorable!! I"d love to give them as a gift!! emily.bolasky@gmail.com

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  44. These are so cute! You have a true talent! Could you send me the label also? thefourblevins@gmail.com Thanks!

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  45. can you please send me the template for the label? I would love to make these for a coworker who is sick... herrington33@gmail.com

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  46. I work at a pharmacy and would love to make these for my boss. Can you please email me the label. lsugirl0530@yahoo.com thanks so much! Love your creations!

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  47. I love this idea. My son is a pre pharmacy student and his bday is coming up.. I am going to have to try these for him. Can you send me the label? holtcamp1@netzero.net.

    I'm going to see if I can tweak it to relate to a birthday not being sick. With your zip code idea I'm going to use his birthdate as the Rx number. Can't wait to exlore more of your creations.

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  48. What a great idea! It's on the way!

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  49. Hi there. Great tutorial! Would you mind sending the label to me too? My address is crazy_bubbles16@hotmail.com
    Thank you so much :)

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  50. Hi!

    I recently made your cookies and wanted to send you the link to my page. I basically copied your whole idea, thank you so much! I sent them to my sister-in-law who just had surgery. It was not only my first time flooding and decorating cookies, but also my first time to make cookies ever!

    Thanks for the great idea :)

    http://eggyveggiekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/old-fashioned-butter-cookies.html

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  51. Sara! How fabulous and thanks sooooo much for letting me know. I'll do a post linking to your fabulous cookies!

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  52. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your idea. Want to send these to a friend soooo badly, but I'm having trouble.
    Thanks for the link to get the label. I'm having trouble trying to edit and put in the patients name. Any pointers on what I may be doing or not doing? Please e-mail me at rlwegener@hotmail.com. Thanks in advance. Robin

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  53. Hi Dotty!! You are simply......A GENIUS!! Thank you so much for such an amazing idea! I recently did these cookies and posted them to my blog. I linked back to your blog giving you FULL credit. If you would like to check it out here is my link:
    http://tamirenascookies.blogspot.com/2012/10/jar-of-wellness.html
    If there is anything you would like for me to change, I will do so. Thank you once again :)

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  54. Hi! Mandi here... I apologize! I didn't realize I had uploaded the wrong [non-editable] file! I've uploaded the editable file and there shouldn't be any problems. So sorry for any inconvenience!

    Again [in all caps so as to be noticeable...

    THE FILE IS FIXED & IS EDITABLE IN ADOBE ACROBAT

    Please let me know if you encounter any problems so I can address them:
    mandi_miles@hotmail.com

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  55. Tami - the sprinkles!!! You're the genius!

    Thanks Mandi! A few people contacted me that they couldn't edit it. I didn't realize that it wasn't editable. LOL! Thanks!

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  56. Hi, I love this Idea I'm actually going to do this as a christmas gift, as Im a pharmacy Technician...I wasnt able to find the link for the label could you please send it to me at katelyn.peiffer@yahoo.com

    Thanks:)

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  57. Could you send me the label?
    usafgirl98@yahoo.com
    also...what size jar is this in the picture?

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  58. It's a wide-mouth quart.

    There's a link at the top of the post where you can find the label.

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  59. How do I make cookies with icing like this easily? I would like to make this for nurse appreciation day!

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  60. Hmmm. I'm not quite sure how to answer that in a blog comment, or even a blog post. There's a recipe link at the top of the page and tons of blog tutorials out there to get you started.

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  61. Hi, Dotty, so glad to have found your cute cookies! Think I might have to give these a try!! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  62. Super cute idea! I would love to get a copy of your pdf as this would be a wonderful gift for one of the Dr.'s I work for!

    Thank You!

    Jenny
    jenscole@yahoo.com

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  63. I love this! My 15 year old nephew is having open heart surgery in a couple of weeks and this would be a great gift. Could you please send me the label? My email address is: martin3kristy@gmail.com Thanks!

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  64. could you please send this to me thanks! :)

    hchau91@yahoo.com

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  65. I love this! My fiance and I are both in medical school and this would be a sweet gift for him. Could you please send me the label? My email address is: merryteague@gmail.com

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  66. would love the label so i could make for my friend in hospital

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  67. brother is graduating from pharmaceutical school! perfect! can you send a label? katie.stinehour@gmail.com

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  68. Hi all. You can find the label here... https://app.box.com/s/xgewqeoqnozu77mw60eo

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